'Woman: The Wow Fest’ held in Dhaka amid gathering of various communities

British Council, in association with Sadhana and Nrityashilpi Foundation, has organised the day-long ‘Woman: The Wow Fest’ at Alokito on Friday (September 25). People from various communities, including artists, cultural activists and young men and women, took part in the event marked by art practice and cultural performances.

The programme was held under the British Council’s ‘Women of the World’ (WOW) Bangladesh 2026 with the theme ‘Remembering Memories, Reclaiming Bodies’. Experiences of women’s lives, identity, body, social expectations and various forms of barriers were presented through art and stories.

The event began at 12pm with an art exhibition, participatory art installation, artworks and food stalls in the first session. Visitors also took part directly in creating artist Ishrat Rauf’s artwork titled ‘Bahurekha’. Sharing their own memories, identity and life experiences, they contributed to the collective construction of the artwork.

In the afternoon, various cultural performances and presentations brought up issues such as physical freedom, childhood, social expectations and self-identity. From 4pm, four group dance dramas were staged. These performances highlighted topics including women’s participation in public life, gender concepts, power structures, displacement, overcoming adversity and collective initiatives.

Among the four dance dramas, ‘Women’s Politics and Women in Politics’ focused on patriarchy and feminism, ‘Inside the Line’ on capitalism, consumerism and the female body, ‘Did God Say These Things?’ on faith, feminism and religious politics, and ‘After the Silence’ on war, conflict, migration and feminism.

In addition, a photography exhibition titled ‘From Score to Stage’ displayed creative works of the participants and images of various moments of the festival. By creating opportunities for participation of people from different communities alongside artists and visitors, the event turned into an open space for exchange of experiences and opinions.

Sadhana’s artistic director Lubna Mariam said the current situation in Bangladesh is known to all. Yet she remains hopeful. She commented that women are not helpless; rather they have always fought for their rights and position. Expressing gratitude to the British Council for its cooperation in the initiative, she said much path still remains to be covered to reach the desired goal.

According to the organisers, the festival has been arranged as part of British Council Bangladesh’s various initiatives for supporting and including the youth, women and adolescent girls as well as developing the creative sector. One of the main aims of the event is to increase mutual understanding among people through art and culture, bring forward various experiences and voices, and play a role in building a more inclusive society.